Swarm-catc her



J. W BAILEY. Swarmeflatcher.

G. 228,299. Patented June 1, I880.

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JOHN 'WESLEY BAILEY, OF GREEN LAKE, WISCONSIN.

SWARM-CATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 228,299, dated June 1, 1880.

Application filed November 21, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J. W. BAILEY, of Green Lake, in the county of Green Lake and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Swarm-Catchers 5 and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and efficient means for capturing bees while swarming; and to this end my invention consists in the parts composing the same, as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the annexed drawing, 1 represents a frame, made preferably in rectangular form in its cross-section, and tapering or reduced toward the front end. This frame is covered on its sides with cloth or netting of wire or other suitable material, having its meshes of such size that the bees cannot work through, while it forms no impediment to the transmission of light or sound.

In practice I have found that the color of the cloth or netting of the catcher has considerable to do with the proper working of the device, and I have found that drab color will produce the best results, as it interferes less with sight and light and, further, that by making the netting of wire the sound-waves are transmitted with greater force and to greater distance than when the netting is made of other material.

At the rear end of the frame is a removable door, 3, held in place by a brad or pin at the bottom and a button at the top, and provided with a suitable handle for its easy manipulation. At the front end of the frame is a slidedoor, 4, as shown. At the rear end of the frame, to the under side, is hinged an extension-standard composed of an upper hinged piece, 0, and a lower sliding piece, m, this latter piece terminating in a foot and being slotted for the passage of a thumb-screw, which enters the lower end of the upper piece, 0, for holding the piece at in any position-that is, more or less extended. The object of this extensionleg is to adjust the catcher to the proper angle, according to the position of the hive to which it is to be applied or when it stands high or low, as the catcher should stand at an angle of about forty-five degrees to insure the best effects.

The front end of the frame is made on an angle, so that it will fit as close as possible to the front of the hive when the catcher is placed at the proper angle. If the frame were square at the front end and then placed at an angle to the hive, there would necessarily be left a wide space at the bottom as well as at the sides, and as some hives have no bottom board a square'ended frame could not be used at all.

A cloth is also provided to close'any small.

space that may be left at the top and sides of the catcher between it and the hive. This cloth is lapped at the center, and should be of sufficient length to be tucked under the hive if raised.

When the extension-standard is not in use it folds under the catcher-frame, and is held thereto by means of a button on a cross-bar in the bottom of the frame, and a handle is provided at the top for convenience in manipulating the catcher.

When the catcher is to be used it is placed, as above stated, with the slide-door 4 raised and the door 3 in place against the hive and adjusted at the proper angle. The cloth is then arranged at the front end in such a manner that no bees can escape, but in going out of the hive must pass into the catcher. When all the swarming bees have entered the catcher the slide-door 4 is closed and the catcher set to one side until the bees have quieted down and collected in a bunch, when the catcher can be taken to another hive, and by removing the door 3 and slightly striking the frame the bees will leave it and enter the hive. When a part of a swarm of bees has left the hive before the catcher can be placed in position and the rest enter the catcher, those at liberty will collect on the outside of the catcher, because the bees will see each other, and as they have means for calling each other those on the inside will call the others, the light and sound passing through the cloth or netting without difficulty.

The advantages of my construction of the catcher are obvious. Thefront end of the frame being beveled or inclined enables me to place the catcher at the desired angle with its front end close to the hive. The extension-leg allows of its being placed at the required an gle,whether the hiveis located high or low. The sliding door at the front is the simplest and most convenient means for confining the bees in the catcher. The cloth or netting, bcin g of such sized mesh as will allow both light and sound to pass freely, enables the bees on the inside to see and call those on the outside, and vice versa.

I am aware that a swarm-catcher is old consisting of rectangular frame covered with cheesecloth and made to taper from its front or top end, which has a hinged door gradually to the rear or lower end, which abuts against the hive, and which rear end is provided with curtain-cloth folds, said frame, when in use, being supported at its top or front end by a brace.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

made in tapering form, with its forward endv inclined, as shown, and the catcher provided with front slide-door, and removable door at the rear, and with a folding extension-leg at the rear end, and the sides covered with cloth or ncttin g, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

JOHN WESLEY BAILEY. Witnesses OHAnLEs OURRIER, O. U. AKIN. 

